Slay in Your Lane is the ultimate inspirational guide to life for Black British women.
Written by best friends Elizabeth Uviebinené and Yomi Adegoke, the book is a little bit like talking with your own best friends or even older sisters, such is the friendly, outgoing and informal tone.
Packed with statistics, anecdotes from the authors and from some of Britain’s most successful Black women, the book explores all aspects of women’s lives from education and employment to dating and self-care, and how they are affected by racism, sexism, colorism and even misogynoir.
At times the stories along with the statistics felt a bit overwhelming, especially when you consider that although some impressive strides have been made in achieving equality for women, when you add race and all the other issues mentioned above to the mix the outlook for Black women is rather depressing as we generally remain invisible and underappreciated in all spheres. That said, it’s not all doom and gloom as the tide is turning, albeit slowly, as the interviews with the likes of BAFTA award-winning director Amma Asante, Dawn Butler MP, and British Vogue publisher Vanessa Kingori attest.
One of the key strengths of the book is the sheer amount of research and attention to detail that has gone into it, yet it never comes across as dry or didactic. Despite the seriousness of the topics at hand, there is always a level of humour and honesty that make the book so accessible. In addition, reading the stories of those featured in the book gives it that extra layer of relatability and encouragement as you realise you’re not alone, and that others have gone through and are going through the same experiences. Not only that, they’ve come out on top, they’ve survived and thrived.
Slay in Your Lane is important reading not just for its encouragement and undisguised desire to see Black women rise to the top of every area of their lives. But also because it reveals the strong and definitive parts of Black history which women played, and still play, and still often go unrecognised for.
With the publication of this book and similar books by Black women such as, Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge and The Little Black Book by Otegha Uwagba, it’s clear that there is a space for books like this and more, and I hope that the sage advice contained in Slay in Your Lane will enable and empower women to make it happen.
Slay in You Lane is available in all good bookshops. Find out more about the authors and buy your copy here.